{"product_id":"indian","title":"Indian Blue Pearl Millet","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":45571,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"4\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":15374745},\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\",\"16\":12,\"18\":1}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Crambe cordifolia\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003ePennisetum glaucum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrigin:\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":515,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"4\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":16777215},\"12\":0}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Caucusus Mountains (via Montana)\"}'\u003eIndia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eImprovement status:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003cspan data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Cultivar\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":515,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"4\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":16773836},\"12\":0}'\u003eUnknown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSeeds per packet:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e~150\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGermination tested 01\/2026:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e95%\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLife cycle: \u003c\/b\u003eAnnual\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe're thrilled to be offering this, the first pearl millet in our catalog, thanks to our friend Chris Hardy of Hardy Seeds in Oregon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePearl millet is the most widely grown species of millet around the world, accounting for some 50% of all millet produced. It yields abundant crops of delicious gluten-free grain beloved by cultures across mainly Africa and Asia. Believed to have been domesticated in West Africa (the earliest archaeological evidence of the crop comes from northern Mali and dates to between 4000 and 4500 years ago), it has spread around the world and become especially popular in India, where this variety originates.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere's what Chris has to say about this exciting offering: \"One of our favorite crops to grow, and for sure one of the most striking in the field. We have been growing and selecting this millet for more than 15 years and it's a hands-down champion of our low input practices at the farm. We are grateful to Matt at Happy Dirt Veggie Patch in Oregon [who received some from a farmer in India] for sharing out some of this seed. It has been a game changer for weed suppression and for our regenerative practices to heal the soil from years of detrimental legacy farming practices so often found on leased land these days. And, probably the real reason we grow it, as our farm team knows, is that when cooked, its delightfully chewy, maple syrup-essenced grain, topped with butter, is the most delicious of any that we grow!\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe tasted just a pinch of the seeds and they are delicious! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGROWING TIPS:\u003c\/strong\u003e Direct-sow after soil warms in spring. You can try starting this in flats as well, to get a jump on the season. In Oregon, these plants reach an average height of 7 to 8 ft. You may want to build a scarecrow, hang flashing ribbon, or otherwise be proactive about protecting against bird predation. Our fine feathered friends love millet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNOTE:\u003c\/strong\u003e Taxonomists seem to have agreed that this species should be called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCenchrus americanus,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e but we've opted to use the still-popular older Latin name \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePennisetum glaucum, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebecause there's nothing American about this species.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Experimental Farm Network Seed Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44927659409461,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2333\/6781\/files\/indianbluepearlmillet2_930b5b49-2b8e-475c-aede-57e60f42c61d.jpg?v=1768946093","url":"https:\/\/store.experimentalfarmnetwork.org\/products\/indian","provider":"Experimental Farm Network Seed Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}